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Special day for graduates as Higher Education achievements celebrated

21 Oct 2017

The hard work and achievements of more than 500 students who have successfully achieved degrees and other Higher Education qualifications with City College Norwich was celebrated at Norwich Cathedral on Saturday 21st October.

Awards were presented by former Secretary of State for Education, Baroness Gillian Shephard, in the morning, and by Andrew Barnes, Master of the Great Hospital in Bishopgate and a retired founding partner of Howes Percival solicitors, in the afternoon.

Behind the graduates’ smiling faces in the historic surroundings of the Cathedral were a multitude of stories testifying to the huge, even life-changing, impact of their Higher Education achievements.

Those receiving awards included civil and mechanical engineers, early years practitioners and play workers, healthcare assistants, social care staff, trainee social workers, accountants, managers in hospitality, tourism and events, those working in the sports and leisure industry, in public services, in education, and many other fields.

"Incredibly proud"

CorriennePeasgood, Principal, City College Norwich, said:

“We are incredibly proud of the achievements of all of our graduates who have worked so hard to succeed on a wide range of vocational Higher Education courses.

“Not only have the class of 2017 advanced their own careers and professional development, but in doing so they are making an important contribution within their workplaces and communities as well.

“City College Norwich is fortunate to have so many supportive employers in Norfolk and Suffolk who are committed to developing the skills of their workforce at degree level. These partnerships provide life-changing opportunities to hundreds of their staff each year, whilst helping to meet key skills priorities of the New Anglia Local Economic Partnership.”

Student of the Year

Louise Frosdick, from Caister-on-Sea, was presented with the college’s Higher Education Student of the Year award. Louise completed the Foundation degree and top-up year to achieve a BSc Health Studies degree, with a 2:1.

The degree has paved the way for Louise to make a change in her role at the James Paget Hospital. After 14 years working as a health care assistant at the hospital, Louise is now a qualified Assistant Practitioner and has just started in this new role within the A&E Department. On her new role, she says: “I absolutely love it. It’s completely different to what I am used to, but it is so good.”

Louise successfully completed her degree course despite her stepfather having a serious diagnosis in relation to his health. Throughout the course Louise continued to attend, balancing her work as a Health Care Assistant with course work, whilst continuing to support him as well as her mother.

Louise never requested any extensions or asked for any particular considerations throughout the year and her college lecturers were all thrilled when she handed in her dissertation on time despite her stepfather dying the day after the hand in date. Her final examination for the course took place on what would have been his 60th birthday.

Health Studies lecturer Janette Rice said: “Louise has shown all the post-graduate skills we hope the course will develop in all our students, despite massive obstacles which were placed in her way. It is because of this and her overwhelming desire to be the very best she can be that she was nominated as Student of the Year, which is very well deserved.”

Louise said she was motivated to continue with the course and do her best because it is what her stepfather would have wanted, commenting:

“My step dad wanted me to do it, he didn’t want me to let anything else get in the way. I did it for him. I always hoped that I would get the mark that I got, and I was so pleased that I got it, especially with everything else that I had going on at the time as well.”

Louise added: “I loved studying at City College Norwich and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. The lecturers are so supportive. I could never have done it if it wasn’t for their support, they were all fantastic.”